Method and mechanism for transferring from rib to plain knitting



Oct. 10 1939. R. H. LAWSON 2,175,297 METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING FROM RIB T0 PLAIN KNITTING Filed July 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3.

Mum 701? FMERTHZA MSW/K Arz'y R. H. LAWSON I 2,175,297

AIN KNITTING Oct. 10, 1939.

METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING FROM RIB T0 PL Filed July 28, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 MYEHraz: fazzm'flz/zwsmg Byfim FW Oct. 10, 1939. R. H. LAWSON 2, 5, 97

METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING FROM RIB TO PLAIN KNITTING Filed July 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.'15. F1cf16f 67 34 4 34 3d 3 flvyzjvzwe:

JWBERTHZAMWM A rry Patented Oct. 10, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,175,297 METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR TRANSFER- RING FROM RIB TO PLAIN KNITTING Robert H. Lawson, Pawtucket, R. 1., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. 1., a cornotation of Massachusetts Application In 10 Claims.

This case is concerned in general with transferring from rib fabric to plain and more specifically, transferring in hosiery machines wherein a rib top is knitted and in continuation thereof a plain stocking, all on the same machine. The fabric is in the nature of a true rib and preferably transfers to plain fabric having the same number of wales as prevailed throughout the rib portion.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing the dial and part of the cylinder wherein the invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows in elevation the dial cap as viewed from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 illustrates the dial, a series of dial needles therein and such cams as are necessary to operate dial needles for knitting and for transferring;

Fig. 5 shows in detail the dial knitting cam and the operating lever attached thereto;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the dial knitting cam and operating lever;

Fig. '7 shows in elevation one of the special twopart dial needles;

Fig. 8 shows in plan one of these dial needles;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of dial needle and the manner in which it is engaged by a cylinder needle preliminary to the transfer;

Fig. 10 is a section taken through Fig. 9 to illustrate the manner in which the dial needle is formed for the reception 'of a cylinder needle;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the special transfer cam which has been applied to the main cam assembly;

Fig. 12 is a plan view showing the main cam block and the special transfer cam;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on the line l3-I3, Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a section showing the construction of the main cam block and of the special transfer cam illustrating the manner in which each may be moved to and from operative position independently of the other;

Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate one of the dial needles having a loop thereon and a cylinder needle being projected upwardly through the dial needle preliminary to transfer;

Figs, 1'? and 18 show the dial needle having been projected outwardly to a position where the loop is extended and the cylinder needle is in a position to pass upwardly through said loop;

July 28, 1936, Serial No. 93,057 Canada August 28, 1935 Figs. 19 and 20 illustrate these same parts with the cylinder needle projected upwardly through the loop;

Fig. 21 shows a more advanced step wherein the cylinder needle is drawn downwardly to engage the loop to be transferred thereto;

Fig. 22 shows the dial needle after it has been retracted and its loop has been transferred to the cylinder needle;

\ Fig. 23 corresponds to Fig. 22 but shows the loop hanging about the shank of the cylinder needle; and

Fig. 24 shows a modified form of dial needle and cylinder needle for cooperating therewith.

According to the practice most commonlyemployed in the manufacture of half-hose with rib tops, the rib tops are produced upon machines adapted to knit rib material, these tops being knitted as string work and being separated in any convenient manner, and are then transferred on to needles of a hosiery machine whereon the stocking is completed. This hosiery machine is adapted to knit plain work only and it is necessary for the operator to transfer the rib top which has been separately knitted on another machine to the needles of the hosiery machine by special instrumentalities and with exercise of considerable skill. It is the purpose of the invention herein disclosed and claimed to so construct a hosiery machine or other knitting machine that the rib portion may be knitted upon dial and cylinder needles to form a true rib top comparable to that knitted upon machines employed for rib knitting only, and then, to transfer certain loops of the rib fabric to inactive cylinder needles which may then continue in the knitting to form the rest of the hose or other knitted fabric by plain knitting on cylinder needles only. The invention is essentially concerned with a new form of dial needle which is capable of knitting, and also, in conjunction with a cylinder needle, of transferring its loop to that cylinder needle. It is further necessary to provide special control for dial knitting cams, also special cams and controlling means therefor within the dial to cause said dial needles to be projected at the proper time and in a manner for transferring their loops to the necessary cylinder needles. A special transfer cam and control therefor has been incorporated in the main cam block, being used for knitting of the heel and toe or other parts of the stocking knitted by reciprocation. The machine has two feeds at substantially opposite sides of the cylinder and the rib top, leg and other circular knitted parts of the stocking are formed end of the cap in Figs. 1, 2

at the auxiliary side of the machine, while transferring is accomplished at the main side of the machine.

Referring to Figs. 1-4 a needle cylinder is shown at l which has the usual tricks out therein for the reciprocation of independently operated latch needles. This cylinder will be described as of the rotary type but it is to be understood that the construction of the machine might be according to that employing a fixed cylinder and rotating cams. A dial 2 is rotatable upon spindle 3 in the usual manner, said dial being slotted radially for the reception of the dial needles. These slots are considerably wider at their outer ends for a purpose to be described hereafter. A dial cap 4 is fixed above said dial in the usual manner and carries all the necessary cams for causing the dial needles to function during rib knitting and also to control these needles in a manner necessary for the transfer. The controlling means for some of said dial cams has been illustrated at the upper and 3.

Referring to Fig. 4, stationary cams 5 and 6 in conjunction with movable cams 1 and 8 cause the dial needles 9 to knit in conjunction with an equal number of cylinder needles at the auxiliary side of the machine. Twice as many cylinder needles as dial needles are employed and dial needles are divided into two groups substantially equal in number, one-half of the said dial needles having long butts and the other group having short butts. This makes it possible for the movable cams to be readily engaged with the butts in their dial needles, or for certain purposes with which we are not particularly concerned in this case, for engaging only part of the dial needles as when forming a ribbed instep and plain sole. Cam 8 has a stem Ill projecting upwardly therefrom, Fig. 3, which stem is slotted at H and a screw l2 passing through said slot restrains said cam to move within a limited range. Alever l3 has; a downwardly projecting part M with a slot cut therein at an angle to the horizontal, this slot engaging a pin IS in the upper end of cam stem I0. Movement of the lever l3 which is restrained from moving axially upon the hub l6 which projects upwardly from cap 4 will cause the pin l5 and thus the cam 8 to be moved up or down depending upon the direction in which lever I3 is turned. Lever I3 is controlled by one mechanism functioning in timed relation to the knitting cycle of the machine and connected to said lever by a link l1, this pattern controlling mechanism not being shown with any of the levers since it is well known to those skilled in the art and would only add to the illustrations and serve to confuse. The movement of this cam 8 and also of the opposite cam is of such a nature that it is first projected downwardly on the tops of short butts and when it engages the first long butts will be fully projected downwardly so that it will engage all dial needle butts. Of course, if only the long butts are to be engaged, the cam will only be moved downwardly a suflicient distance to engage these long butts but must be moved down during the passage of short butts so that it will engage long butts to follow.

Cam 1 illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 is formed at the lower portion of a stem l8 which projects upwardly through a boss l9 extending upwardly from cap 4 parallel to hub 16. This stem is capable of being rotated in its bearing in the boss I 9 and has a short lever or crank trated in Figs.

20 attached at its upper end by means of a clamping screw 2|. This lever 20 serves to maintain cam l in proper vertical position and is also caused to swing through a small angle by means of lever 22 thereby changing the position of cam I from that shown in Fig. 4 to another position dial needles which would pass by in tuck position, thus would not move outwardly far enough to clear their latches. This assumes that cam 8 has been moved downwardly into butt engaging position. When knitting at this side of the machine and when making a rib top, cam 1 would The lever on one side thereof within which is cut a slot 23, Fig. 2. This slot engages about a pin 24 in the outer end of lever 20, and as lever 22 is moved by means of link 25, cam 7 may be shifted from one position to the other. Link 25 is to be connected directly or through other elements to pattern conas the knitting machine for operatmg the cam 1 at the proper times.

ly projecting extension 3| which is diagonally slotted to receive pin 32. As the lever 30 moves throughout a limited angle, pin 32 will be forced either upwardly or downwardly in a diagonal slot thereby moving cam 26 to shown). 1

Each dial needle is formed in two parts as indicated in Figs. '7 and 8, these parts being of such a thickness that they will operate together in the dial slots but having suflicient stiffness to knit properly. Each part has a shank 34, a a hook 35, latch 36, butt 3'! and tail 38. In the preferred form of needle as illus- 7 and 8 there is an offset 39 just behind each hook, these ofisets being opposed on opposite halves of the needles so that an eye or slot is formed within which it is possible to project the cylinder needle when it is to receive the stitch from the dial needle at the transfer. These cylinder needles which function only during transfer and thereafter to knit circular plain work are aligned directly beneath dial needles. When knitting, these dial needles function practically as though they were a single unit and the rib fabric knitted will be of a quality not inferior to that formed on the regular rib top machine. Of course, proper tension will be applied during this rib knitting.

When a transfer is to be efiected cam 26 will be projected downwardly first engaging long butts and thereafter the short butt dial needles to project those dial needles outwardly on to a portion 40 of cam 4| at which position the cylinder needles will be directly underneath the eyes or openings between separate halves of the dial needle. It is at this time that the cylinder needles under each dial needle will be raised progressively to enter between the portions of this two-part dial needle,

III

the hook of the cylinder needle being raised to such a. position as is shown in Figs. 15 and 16. The cylinder needles will remain at this elevation whiledial needles are projected out by means of the surface 42 on cam 4| until the cylinder needle is in a position such as shown in Figs. 1'7 and 18; in this position the cylinder needle will have spread the separate parts of the dial needle so that the loop hanging thereon will be extended a sufiitcient amount for the cylinder needle to be easily-projected upwardly therethrough. This loop is held from slipping back on the shank of the dial needles by shoulder 34' thereon as illustrated in Fig. 17. ,The tricks of extra width at the outer edge of the dial provide for easy spreading of the dial needle parts as illustrated in Fig. 18. The cylinder needle may be projected upwardly through the loop to be transferred as shown in Figs. 19 and 20 whereupon the dialneedle will be retracted by a cam 43, Fig. 4. Each dial needle will eventually be withdrawn to an inactive position wherein the dial and the cylinder needles will be drawn downwardly as indicated in Fig. 21 to retain their loops as they are cast off the appropriate dial needles. In Figs. 22 and 23 the cylinder needles are illustrated with the transferred loops about their shanks and dial needles are shown retracted. As dial needles are retracted, their latches will be closed and these latches may again be opened by a brush or by other convenient means (not shown) when rib knitting is to be commenced at the beginning of another stocking.

Referring to Figs. 11-14, the cams for controlling the cylinder needles at the main side of the machine when transferring will be described.-

A cam block 44 is shown slidable upon the usual plate 45, this block being guided by means of a key 46 and urged into an active position by springs 41 and 48. Stitch earns 49 and 50 are attached to said block and operate needles in the usual manner during rotary and/or reciprocatory knitting. Raise cams 52 and 53 perform the usual function and a two-part center cam is comprised of elements 54 and 55 attached by suitable connecting means to the top surface of the cam block. Cam block 44 and cams 49, 50, 54, and 55 will be withdrawn from an active butt engaging position during the knitting of a rib top and during transfer by the usual means which is used to withdraw these elements during transfer on plain machines. A separate cam has been provided which comes into play during transfer and has separate controlling members which act independently of the control for the cam block 44 being controlled by pattern elements on the machine. The cam comprises a stem 56 which carries at its inner end a head portion formed into two cam parts 51 and 58. The portion 51 provides for raising the cylinder needle up to a level 59 which corresponds to the position cylinder needles occupy as shown in Fig. 15. When dial needles have been projected out to their fullest extent as shown in Fig. 17,'the cylinder needles will then raise up on the second inclined portion 60 of the cam 51, the needles then occupying the position shown in Fig. 19. Thereafter, needles will be drawn down by cam 58 to such a position as has been indicated in Fig. 21, and at which position the dial needles will be started on their movement of withdrawal into the dial; this movement will be practically completed before the cylinder needles strike stitch cam 5|] to be drawn down to a still lower level. The stem 56 is formed with a keyway therein which receives key BI and the stem is thus capable of being moved radially of the machine but will be held from rotating within the block 44.

A lever 62 is pivoted at 53 on the plate 45 and is also connected for operation on the outer end of stem 56. A link 64 is connected at the opposite end of lever 62 and is caused by means of the pattern control for the knitting machine to move cam stem 56 and the cams attached thereto inwardly at the proper time. These cams are moved in against the cylinder during transfer and at other times will be moved outwardly away from the cylinder at which time they are received in the recess 65 cut in the cam block.

One modified form of needle is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, this needle being formed in two parts and adapted to be operated in the manner in which needle 9 would be operated. Each half 66 of the needle is cut away on the underside as shown at 6'! so that a V-shaped notch will be presented to the hook of the cylinder needle as that needle is projected up for transfer. It is to be understood that. the eyes between other forms of needle may also be beveled as shown in addition to being offset thus allowing the cylinder needle to project up through the dial needle without as much chance of failure to properly engage the opening therein. The advantage in using a needle of the type shown in Figs. 9 and lies in the fact that there is no offset which tends to catch or to slightly enlarge the dial loop as it is slipped over the offset part of the needle.

In Fig. 24 another modification is shown wherein the offset part of the needle is tapered more gradually as shown at 68 thus allowing the dial loop to be slipped back on the shank of the needle without catching on the edge of the offset at the side of the needle. A needle of the shape indicated at 69 is to be used with this dial needle and it will be noticed that the hook of the needle tapers to fit the tapering slot or eye which is formed between the two halves of the dial needle.

In operation the dial needles will function with one-half of the cylinder needles to knit a true rib fabric which will be later transferred to plain knitting for the purpose of completing the stocking. At the knitting of the rib part, cam 8 will be projected downwardly into engagement with the butts of all dial needles and earn 1 will be swung out to a position wherein it will clear the latches of all dial needles. At this time cam 26 will be raised so that the dial needles will pass inside of cam 4|. When it is desired to transfer at the termination of knitting the rib top, it is possible to transfer during a single course which is the last course knitted of rib, but preferable to take an extra or idle course prior to bringing in the transfer cams. An extra course may also be taken after transfer.

Cam I will be swung inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4 and cam 8 will be lifted away from engagement with any needle butts after the last dial needle has taken its yarn for knitting in the rib top whereupon the idle revolution will be made so that cam 26 may be brought down first on top of the short butts, when engaging the long butts whereupon it will move down into complete engagement with all of the dial needle butts. Dial needles will then be moved out to portion 40 of cam 4| and since cams 51 and 58 would have been moved to an active position the cylinder needles will be projected up at this time to engage the eyes or openings in dial needles, see Figs. and 16. As cylinder needles move along on surface 59 of cam 51, the dial needles will move out on the incline 42 of cam 4! thus being spread to the position shown in Figs. 4, 17, and 18 at which time the loops will be hanging on the shoulders at the base of the dial needle shanksand cylinder needles will be in apos-itio to pass upwardly through these lfips. Cylinder needles will then. pass'u'p' cam 60 on cam 51 piercing the diakiieedle loops and will thereafter move down cam 58 as cam 43 withdraws the dial needles casting off the rib loops thereof which will be held by the cylinder needles as has been indicated in Figs. 19-23. It is preferable to take an extra revolution of the cylinder at this time before making the yarn change for continuing knitting in the legend other parts of the stocking.

The invention has been described in more or less specific terms for purposes of illustrating the same, but these are not to be taken as limitations since many modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine of the type described, a series of cylinder needles and a series of dial needles, said dial needles being formed in two substantially symmetrical parts and having offset portions adjacent their hooked ends to form an eye for receiving a cylinder needle, cams for causing said series of needles to knit rib fabric in conjunction with one another and for causing the cylinder needles to knit plain fabric independently of dial needles, cam means at a point remote from that at which needles function to knit rib fabric for projecting dial needles outwardly to a position in which the eyes therein will be in alignment above some of the cylinder needles and for them projecting said dial needles outwardly to spread the separate parts thereof about the hook of a cylinder needle which has been moved upwardly to pierce the eye of said dial needle.

2. In a knitting machine of the type described, the combination of a series of cylinder needles and a series of dial needles and cams for causing said series of needles to knit rib fabric in conjunction with one another and for causing cylinder needles to knit plain fabric independently of dial needles the dial cams including a swinging cam for causing dial needles to move to latch clearing position, a pair of vertically movable cams for determining whether dial needles knit or whether they are to transfer their loops to cylinder needles, and a cam remote from knitting posit. on of said dial needles for first moving dial needles outwardly until a predetermined part of each needle shall align with the proper cylinder needle and for then moving dial needles outwardly to spread thesame about cylinder needles, and retracting the same to a point within the dial for transferring loops held thereon to said cylinder needles.

3. Mechanism as described in claim 2, wherein said swinging cam is to be controlled by one of a series of movable levers superposed above the dial and having a cam slot therein for engagement with an actuating lever on the cam spindle.

4. Mechanism as described in claim 2, wherein said vertically movable cams are provided with stems working in suitable guides and having a pin projecting from the upper ends thereof, radially movable levers swingable about a hub portion above the dial cap, each of said levers having a downwardly disposed portion with an inclined slot therein for engaging said pin whereby angular movement of said levers will bring about vertical movement of the cams.

5. In a knitting machine of the type described, the combination of a series of cylinder needles and a series of dial needles, said dial needles being adapted to knit rib fabric in conjunction with part of the series of cylinder needles and said cylinder needles being adapted to knit plain fabric in continuance of the rib fabric when said needles are withdrawn from action, a series of cams at 1 one side of said knitting machine for causing bothdial and cylinder needles to function as when knitting rib fabric and cams at another point about the circumference of said machine for causing cylinder needles to knit independently of dial 1 needles and other dial cams at said second point for causing dial needles to transfer their stitches to appropriate cylinder needles including a fixed cam and a movable cam within the dial cap for projecting dial needles outwardly for transfer and 2 associated with said cylretracting dial needles.

8. In a knitting machine of the type described a series of cylinder needles and a series of dial needles, said dial needles each being constructed 55 9. In a knitting machine of the type described, 78

the combination of a series of cylinder needles dial needles are directly above cooperating cylinand a seriesof dial needles, said dial needles beder needles and means for projecting cylinder ing constructed in two parts and having an openneedles upwardly through said loops so that dial ing to facilitate the entrance of the hooked end needles may be retracted leaving the loops on the of a cylinder needle between the two parts therecylinder needles. 5 of, means for causing all the dial needles and 10. In a knitting machine of the type described part of the cylinder needles to function together the combination of needles, a movable cam block, while knitting rib fabric and to cause the 'cylinneedle actuating cams on said cam block for der needles to function independently of the dial causing needles to rise to take yarn and to be 0 needles when knitting plain fabric, means for drawn downwardly to draw knitted stitches, a 10 projecting dial needles outwardly to a position in transfer cam movable within said cam block, a which they may bepierced by hooked ends of recess in the block within which said transfer cylinder needles in alignment with them and cam may be drawn, the construction being such means functioning immediately thereafter for that said block may be moved to and from a posi- 5 causing said cylinder needles to move upwardly tion in which the stitch drawing cams will engage l5 whereupon the hooked ends will enter between needles for actuating them and the transfer cam dial needles at the opening closely adjacent their may be controlled independently of said block hooked ends, means for further projecting dial and other cams for engaging needles to impart to needles outwardly so that they will spread about them transfer movements. 20 the hooks of said cylinder needles until loops on ROBERT H. LAWSON. 20 

